Industrial truck with an article conveyor and storage means thereon



July 14, 1970 R. l. OFFEN 3,520,427

INDUSTRIAL TRUCK WITH AN ARTI E CONVEYOR AND STORAGE MEANS THE N Filed Nov. 1, 1968 Hoger li i h A I [URI-MK United States Patent US. Cl. 214-75 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lift truck havinga wheeled frame, one end of which supports drive means and the other end of which is provided with a rack for storing individual containers. An operators platform is located between the drive means and rack and supports a roller conveyor thereon. Both the operators platform and roller conveyor can individually be elevated to desired heights.

This invention concerns an industrial lift truck of the type that can be used within a manufacturing plant for purposes of moving articles from one location to another. More particularly, the lift truck made according to this invention is uniquely adapted for handling relatively small individual containers which may be filled with small metal parts and weigh an amount which render then. difficult for one person to handle efiiciently.

In the preferred form, this lift truck comprises an elongated wheeled frame having drive means located at one end thereof while a rack is mounted at the other end. The rack includes a plurality of vertically spaced compartments opening toward the drive means and arranged in horizontally spaced rows for storing relatively small but heavy containers. A vertical mast is mounted on the frame adjacent to the drive means and an operators platform is located between the drive means and the rack. The operators platform has one longitudinal end supported by the the vertical mast for movement between a lowered position and a plurality of raised positions. A roller conveyor is carried by the platform adjacent to the rack and is mounted on extensible means which raise the conveyor relative to the platform. The conveyor extends transversely of the wheeled frame substantially to each side edge thereof so when the lift truck is positioned along side of a storage bank having containers which are to be moved to another area, the individual containers can be manually removed from the storage bank onto the roller conveyor wherefrom it can be transferred to one of the compartments in the rack.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a lift truck which will receive individual containers from a storage bank, store the containers and transport them to another location; to provide a lift truck having a permanently attached rack for storing individual containers and having an operators platform and a roller conveyor device, each of which can be independently elevated to desired heights for purposes of facilitating the removal of the containers from a storage bank and depositing them into the rack; and to provide a material handling device which can be utilized within a plant and is adapted to facilitate the removal of relatively small but heavy containers from a high storage bank by utilizing a pair of independently adjustable platforms, one of which supports the operator while the other accommodates individual containers.

A more complete understanding of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

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FIG. 1 is a side elevational View showing an industrial lift truck made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lift truck shown in FIG. 1 taken on line 22;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the industrial truck of FIG. 1 taken on line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a perspective View showing the lift truck of FIGS. 1 through 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing in detail the construction of the roller conveyor incorporated with the lift truck of FIGS. 1 through 3.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, the industrial lift truck made in accordance with the invention is shown comprising an elongated substantially rectangular frame supported by front and rear wheels 12 and 14. One end of the frame supports drive means located within a compartment 16. Although not shown, the drive means can take the form of an electric motor which can be drivingly connected to the wheels 12 in a conventional manner. Moreover, as is usually the case, the compartment 16 will house rechargeable batteries which provide the source of electric current for driving the electric motor. A drive means of this type is conventionally used in industrial lift trucks and, accordingly, a showing of details there is not deemed to be necessary inasmuch as they are well known to those skilled in the art.

The other end of the frame 10 rigidly supports an upstanding rack 18 having a plurality of horizontally extending and vertically extending panels 20 and 22 which subdivide the rack into a plurality of compartments for storing containers as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Located between the compartment 16 housing the drive means and the rack 18 is an operators platform 24 which includes a horizontal base section 26 rigidly attached with a vertically extending control panel 28. The control panel 28 includes a steering wheel 30 which permits the vehicle operator to steer the lift truck as it is being driven about a plant area. It should be apparent that through suitable hydraulic circuitry, the steering wheel 30 can be connected with either the front or rear wheels 12 and 14 which can be supported by the frame 10 for steering movement.

A mast 32 consisting of a generally U-shaped member is secured to the frame 10 for supporting the operators platform 24 for vertical movement therealong. In this connection, a motor 34 is rigidly secured to the base section 26 and control panel 28 and drivingly supports a pinion 36 which engages a rack 38 formed along one side of the mast 32 so that upon energization of the motor 34, the entire operators platform 24 can be moved to a plurality of heights, one of which is shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1.

Adjacent to the rack 18 and supported by the base section 26 of the operators platform 24 is a conveyor 40 for receiving and supporting containers. The conveyor 40 is supported by a hydraulic multi-cylinder extensible hoist 42 which is adapted to provide vertical positioning of the conveyor 40 relative to the base section 26. The conveyor 40 is formed by a generally rectangular frame 44, the major axis of which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the lift truck. As seen in FIG. 5, a plurality of identically formed cylindrical rollers 46 are mounted in the frame 44 along parallel rotational axes which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lift truck.

From the above description, it should be apparent that when the lift truck is driven alongside a storage bank 48, such as seen in FIG. 4, the operator can raise the conveyor 40 to the desired height for purposes of removing one of the containers from the storage bank. This is shown in FIG. wherein the conveyor 40 has been raised to the same elevation as the bottom shelf 50 of one of the compartments formed in the storage bank. At such time, it is a simple matter to merely grasp the container 52 and slide it onto the rollers 46 after which the conveyor 40 is positioned so that the container 52 can be placed within one of the compartments located in the rack 18. In cases where the desired container is located at a higher level in the storage bank 48, the operators platform 24 can be raised as described above thereby permitting increased reach for the conveyor 40.

It should be understood that the motor 34 can be electrically or hydraulically powered. Moreover, controls for both the motor 34 as well as the hoist 42 can be located on the control panel 28 adjacent to the steering wheel 30 for easy accessibility by the operator. The motor 34 and the hoist 42 are intended to be controlled by separate circuits so that independent operation of the operators platform 24 and the conveyor 40 is realized. As should be apparent, depending upon the location of the container in the storage bank and the compartment in the rack 18 into which the container is to be placed, will determine whether the conveyor 40 or the operators platform 24 is to be raised or lowered. It will also be understood that the described rack and pinion drive arrangement shown incorporated with the lift truck is for illustrative purposes only and that other drive arrangements well known to those skilled in the art can be utilized for adjusting the height of he operators platform 24. For example, a vertica'lly orientated hydraulic cylinder can be connected between the frame and the operators platform 24 for raising and lowering the latter relative to the mast 32.

Various changes and modifications can be made in this construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such changes and modifications are contemplated by the inventor and he does not wish to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An industrial lift truck for receiving individual containers from a storage bank, storing the individual containers on the truck, and transporting said containers to a work station, said truck including an elongated wheeled frame having a pair of laterally spaced side edges, drive means located at one end of said wheeled frame, a rack located at the other end of the wheeled frame, said rack having a plurality of vertically spaced compartments for storing said containers, a vertical mast mounted on said frame, an operators platform located between said drive means and said rack, said operators platform being supported by said vertical mast for movement between a lowered position wherein said platform rests on said frame and a plurality of raised positions wherein said platform is elevated above said frame, a conveyor supported by said platform adjacent the rack, extensible means connected between said platform and said conveyor for raising the latter relative to said platform, said conveyor extending transversely of said wheeled frame substantially to each side edge thereof so when the lift truck is positioned alongside of the storage bank one of said individual containers can be manually removed therefrom onto said conveyor wherefrom it can be transferred into one of said compartments of said rack.

2. An industrial lift truck for receiving individual containers from a storage bank, storing the individual containers on the truck, and transporting said containers to a work station, said truck including an elongated wheeled frame having a pair of laterally spaced side edges, drive 4 means located at one end of said wheeled frame, a rac located at the other end of the wheeled frame, said rack having a plurality of horizontally spaced compartments arranged in vertically spaced rows for storing said containers, a vertical mast mounted on said frame adjacent said drive means, an operators platform located between said drive means and said rack, said operators platform being supported by said vertical mast for movement between a lowered position wherein said platform rests on said frame and a raised position wherein said platform is elevated above said frame, a roller conveyor supported by said platform adjacent the rack, means connected between said platform and said roller conveyor for raising the latter relative to said platform, said roller conveyor extending transversely of said wheeled frame substantially to each side edge thereof so when the lift truck is positioned alongside of the storage bank one of said individual containers can be manually removed therefrom onto said roller conveyor wherefrom it can be transferred into one one of said compartments of said rack.

3. The industrial lift truck of claim 2 wherein said compartments are rectangular in cross section and open toward said drive means.

4. A load-handling truck for receiving individual containers from a storage bank, storing the individual containers on the truck, and transporting said containers to a Work station, said truck including an elongated wheeled frame having a pair of laterally spaced side edges, drive means located at one end of said wheeled frame, a rack mounted on the wheeled frame at the other end thereof, said rack having a plurality of vertically spaced compartments opening toward said drive means and arranged in horizontally spaced rows for storing said containers, a vertical mast mounted on said frame adjacent said drive means, an operators platform located between said drive means and said rack, said operators platform having one longitudinal end thereof supported by said vertical mast for movement between a lowered position wherein said platform rests on said frame and a plurality of raised positions wherein said platform is elevated above said frame, a conveyor supported by said platform adjacent the rack, said conveyor comprising a plurality of rollers the rotationtal axes of which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wheeled frame, vertically extensible means connected between said platform and said conveyor for raising the latter relative to said platform, said conveyor extending transversely of said wheeled frame substantially to each side edge thereof so when the left truck is positioned alongside of the storage bank one of said individual containers can be manually removed therefrom onto said conveyor wherefrom it can be transferred into one of said compartments of said rack.

References Cited 1,228,194 11/1966 Germany GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner R. B. JOHNSON, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R, 214-164 

